


Hawks Fly Like Arrows

by Oddsfox



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age II
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-03
Updated: 2017-05-03
Packaged: 2018-10-27 03:49:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,493
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10801086
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oddsfox/pseuds/Oddsfox
Summary: Farm girl, war veteran, smuggler, noble... champion. Andrea Hawke has done everything she can in order for her family to survive, but she never would have thought she would have to go so far.Eventual Hawke/Fenris. Minor Hawke/Isabela, and some Hawke/Cullen in the beginning.





	1. First Impressions

Hawks Fly Like Arrows

Chapter 1: First Impression

           Hawke and her companions were greeted with a rush of cool air mixed with the scent of incense as they stepped out of the recently raided High-Town estate. Smoke rose up over head from Low-Town, and the sounds of drunken laughter and rambunctious activities floated up the steps from the direction of the Blooming Rose. They had just spent a good portion of their night and early morning aiding a strange, white haired elf. He had told them his plight, that he was an escaped slave and that his former master was in the city to try to recapture him. Now, he was nowhere to be seen, having left the mansion in a mix of anger, disappointment and disgust. Perplexed, Hawke looked to her two companions, her sister and her trusted friend Aveline, and shrugged. As they walked out from under the shelter of the mansion’s pavilion roof, they spotted him leaning up against wall.  
          “It never ends,” he muttered bitterly, staring straight ahead. “I escaped a land of dark magics, only for it to hunt me at every turn. It is a plague burned into my flesh and my soul.”  
          “You can speak to me directly,” Bethany stated bluntly.  
          “I saw you casting spells inside, I should have realized what you were sooner,” Fenris said, closing the distance between himself and the group. “You harbor a beast in your midst,” he spat, turning to Hawke. “It will turn on you and strike when you least expect, as is its nature.”  
          “Well that’s gratitude for you, isn’t it?” Hawke said, sarcastically smiling. “We risk our lives for you, fight for your noble cause, and the only thing you do in return is call my sister a wild animal?” Hawke questioned, one eyebrow rising. Fenris seemed to stiffen at that, not realizing the relationship between his new found ally and her companion. Hawke moved to place herself in front of Bethany, fists tense and ready to defend her. “My sister is stronger than you think.”  
          "I am not blind to the uses magic possesses, and there are, undoubtedly, mages with noble intentions. But even the best intended mage can still fall victim to temptation, and inflict their power on others,” Fenris responded, regaining his posture.  
         “If you have a problem with my sister, you have a problem with me,” Hawke warned, her eyes narrowing.  
         “No one is stopping you from leaving you know,” Bethany quipped, making Fenris bristle quite a bit.  
         “I imagine I appear ungrateful,” he responded, brushing off the comment. “If so, I apologize, for nothing could be further from the truth. I did not find Danarius, but I still owe you a debt,” Fenris admitted. He reached into one of his belt pouches, pulling out a jingling sack of coins, much to the Hawke Sisters’ delight. “Here is all the coin I have, as Anso promised. Should you find yourself in need of assistance, I’d gladly render it,” he offered. Hawke continued to stare altery, quickly pocketing the coin and hesitantly relaxing a bit.  
        “If I might ask, why is Danarius after you?” Hawke inquired. “It seems like he wants something more than just a runaway slave.”  
        “He doesn’t want me at all,” Fenris informed her, moving his arm so that his tattoos glistened in the moonlight. “Just these markings. They are made of lyrium, burned into my skin to provide the power which Danarius required of his pet. And now he wants to see his investment returned, even if he has to rip it from my corpse.”  
        “Seems like a waste of a perfectly handsome elf,” Hawke blurted out. Not a second after she spoke, her eyes widened in shock as the gravity of her words sunk in. “Shit!” she screamed in her head, rising her eyes slightly to see his reaction. Scratching the back of his head sheepishly, Fenris gave an awkward laugh and cough, shaking his head as if to clear away stray thoughts. Bethany failed to stiffen a giggle and was promptly met with an less-than-soft elbow to the gut, and Hawke glaring daggers at her.  
       “Well...” Hawke started awkwardly, “If you’re offering your skills, I’m funding an expedition to the Deep Roads, and any assistance you can provide would be welcome. Anyone who signs on gets a share.”  
      “That sounds… reasonable enough,” Fenris admitted. “Anything else?”  
      “Oh and you’ll have to be able to at least tolerate mages in your presence, Bethany’s not going anywhere anytime soon, at least, not without me,” Hawke stated with a smirk, linking arms with her sister.  
      “I guess I will… have to watch and see,” Fenris said carefully.  
      “Great! Uh... then we’ll be in touch!” Hawke flustered, still a bit embarrassed from her earlier comment. With that, she turned around with her sister and heading down the estate district stairs. “See you tomorrow Aveline!” Hawke called over her shoulder. Soon, the giggling and footsteps of the sisters faded out into silence, leaving Fenris and Aveline alone in the plaza.  
      “I… guess I should turn in then,” Fenris stammered, suddenly feeling nervous.  
      “Wait just a moment,” Aveline commanded softly, though it was still enough to make Fenris slightly jump. He had seen the woman in action, fought side by side with her in the mansion, and knew what she was capable of. He turned his head in her direction, giving her his full attention.  
      “I’m Aveline Vallen, it’s nice to meet you Fenris,” she said kindly, extending her hand in greeting.  
      “Likewise,” Fenris said smiling, shaking her hand. Her grip was strong and hard, and Fenris grew fearful that she could easily break his hand just by squeezing slightly.  
      “It’s nice to have another fighter in the group, I won’t be the only one taking the hard hits,” Aveline joked.  
      “Oh? That must be why Hawke forgave me so easily after I insulted her sister,” Fenris said sheepishly. Aveline shook her head.  
      “Heh, that may not have been your best move. But I won’t worry about it too much, it's quite hard to piss Hawke off completely. Just… don’t make a habit of insulting her sister in her presence,” Aveline offered.  
      “Noted,” Fenris declared, smiling slightly. Suddenly, Aveline’s grip on Fenris hand tightened sharply, and he bit back a yelp of surprise and pain.  
      “Listen, I understand that you’ve been through a lot at the hands of magic,” Aveline said in an even, cool tone. “Believe me, we understand it’s dangers, more than you think we do. But that girl, Bethany? She’s different from the rest, and if trouble ever finds her in the form of templars…” Aveline paused, and promptly squeezed harder on Fenris’s hand until he thought he heard bones crunching. “You’ll be the first place I’ll look,” Aveline warned, relinquishing her grip. Fenris winced as she pulled away, flexing his fingers.  
     “I will… keep that in mind.”  
“Good!” Aveline said cheerfully, spinning on her heel in the direction of the district’s stairs. “See you around, Fenris,” Aveline called over her shoulder, her silhouette fading into the shadows surrounding the keep. Blinking, Fenris continued to flex his hand as he turned into his mansion, shaking his head. What have you gotten yourself into this time? he thought to himself, the door closing behind him as the sound softly echoed about the plaza.


	2. Company and Wine

Hawks Fly Like Arrows

Chapter 2: Company and Wine

       The day following the raid on the mansion, Fenris spent most of his time making the space livable. He saw no need in making it spotless, simply to a point where he could tolerate it. He had dusted off the bed, repaired several holes in the ceiling, and cleaned out the wine cellar and kitchen. Intent on drinking the night away, Fenris gathered several bottles of wine and headed upstairs. On his final trip up, he grabbed a stray bottle of Agreggio Pavali.

      “ _How fitting_ ”, Fenris thought, smirking as he weighed the bottle in his hand. Beginning to ascend the stairs, a knock echoed throughout the mansion, making Fenris pause and turn to the door. Placing the bottle hesitantly near the banister, he silently drew his sword. “ _Could Danarius be here already?_ ” Fenris wondered to himself, resisting the urge to panic and somehow contact Hawke. Quietly, he crept towards the door, deftly grasping his gauntleted hand around the doorknob. He quickly pulled it open just a crack, small enough for him to see out of.

     “Fenris?” a voice asked. “Fenris are you home? It’s me, Hawke.”

     “Oh… Hang on one moment,” Fenris muttered back, sheathing his sword. As he opened the door fully, a slight sense of relief washed over him. Hawke stood in the archway of his door, wearing leather armor and her trademark blood-smear. Her golden hair was tied into a ponytail, with two forelocks adorning her tanning face, and her blue eyes were clouded with concern. “Is now a bad time?” she inquired. “I can come back later if you-”

     “No, it is fine,” Fenris said, cutting her off. He extended his arm in a ‘welcome’ gesture, and she stepped into his home. “I was just about to retire for the evening with some wine, if you’d like to join me for a bit.”

     “Of course! I-I mean, if you’re sure I’m not intruding,” Hawke stammered slightly. Fenris shook his head, and kept a calm expression as the retrieved the bottle of Agreggio. Gesturing for her to follow, Fenris headed up the stairs. As she began the climb after him, she wrinkled her nose as the scent of rotting flesh wafted around the banisters.

     “Charming, isn’t it?” Fenris laughed. Hawke simply nodded, not wanting to open her mouth in fear of becoming sick. Fenris opened his bedroom’s door, and Hawke sighed in relief when the smell did not follow. Fenris placed the best chair he could find in front of the fire, gesturing for Hawke to sit down.

     “Thank you, Fenris,” Hawke said softly, settling down as Fenris popped the bottle open. “What are we having tonight?” she asked humorously.

     “Agreggio Pavali,” he stated, staring at the bottle. “Danarius used to have me poor it for his guests. My appearance frightened them, much to his delight.”

     “I can’t imagine why they’d be put off,” Hawke purred.

     “I’ll take that as a compliment,” Fenris responded, his tone a mix of appreciation and embarrassment. With that, he took a long sip from the bottle, eyes closed in bliss as he drank the bittersweet liquid.. After he swallowed, he stared at it, and then promptly smashed it against a wall. “It’s good to know I can still take pleasure in the small things.”

     “Where we not going to share that?” Hawke whimpered half-heartedly.

     “There’s more if you’re really interested.”

     “Perish the thought, how would you re-decorate the walls?” Hawke joked. Fenris laughed, a sound so foreign to him he almost immediately stopped, covering his mouth with a fist. He quickly regained his posture with an awkward cough, sitting down on the bench across from her.

     “I’ve wanted to leave my past life behind me, but it won’t remain there,” he said solemnly. “Tell me,” he began, his eyes now trained on Hawke, “Have you ever wanted to return to Ferelden?”

     “I grew up there, Ferelden will always be my home.”

     “The Blight is over, you could rebuild what you lost. Do you truly not want to?” Fenris questioned.

     “Maybe someday,” Hawke quietly stated, more to herself than him. “I have to admit, it’s quite an attractive idea.”

     “But not now, I understand. Still; to have the option, must be gratifying…”

     “Do you plan to stay in the city after my expedition is over?” Hawke inquired.

     “I haven’t decided,” Fenris confessed. “For now it’s as good a place as any. I might return to Seheron if I could… but there is no life for me there,” he said, trailing off.

     “Seheron? Is that where you’re from?”

    “So I’ve been told,” he grunted.

    “Do you think Danarius will come after you?” Hawke questioned further.

    “Most likely, these markings are far too valuable for him let go,” Fenris sighed, looking a branded arm over.

    “On the off chance he does not?”

    “Then I go after him,” Fenris growled. “I will not live with a wolf on my back.”

    “Sounds like the right idea to me,” Hawke agreed. “And I will help you face him down, our agreement was never finished after all.”

    “Beg pardon?” Fenris asked, confused.

    “Last night, after we talked, it occurred to me that our original bargain was for me to assist you in finding your former master. And it's obvious that I have not fulfilled my promise, which I always keep,” Hawke smirked. “Besides, slaves deserve their fate,” Hawke beamed.

    “I… thank you. There are few I have meet in my travels who have sought more than personal gain.” There was a long silence that filled the space between them, only interrupted by the soft crackle of the fire. Hawke shuffled her feet nervously, and Fenris simply began to drink from another bottle. Hawke slowly picked her head up, smiling a bit as he watched him.

    “Fenris?” she began. “If you’re looking to start a life, you could stay.”

    “I could see myself staying,” Fenris acknowledged. He eyed Hawke over a bit before adding, “For the right reasons. And I should thank you again for your help with the hunters. Had I know Anso would find a woman so capable, I would have asked him to look sooner,” Fenris said coyly.

    “Flatterer,” Hawke teased. “Maybe I should be thanking Anso.”

    “Maybe you should,” Fenris chuckled. “Perhaps I’ll practice my flattery for your next visit? With any luck, I’ll become better at it,” he said smiling. Hawke simply smirked back, taking the hint and getting up to leave, allowing Fenris to show her to the door. Hesitantly, she stopped in the door frame of the bedroom, turning to him with her mouth slightly open.

   “By the way Fenris? My true purpose of coming here tonight was to ask you if you were up for some slave hunting? My friend Varric has a lead and I intend to follow it. You in?”

   “You know me so well already,” Fenris chuckled. “Of course, when should we head out?”

   “Mm maybe an hour? You know where the Hanged Man is, yes?” Hawke asked. Fenris nodded in response, taking another swig from the bottle. “I’m meeting with Varric there, and it’ll give you the chance to get to know everyone as well. Also, don’t drink all of that, you may want to bring it along. The Hanged Man’s the best in Kirkwall, which isn’t much,” Hawke advised, smirking. “See you soon!” And with that, Hawke vanished from Fenris’s sight, her footsteps lightly echoing up to his room as she descended the stairs. The soft click of his front door opening and closing left Fenris alone with his thoughts, weighing his bottle in his hand.


End file.
